With the popularity and development of various mobile terminals such as smartphones, tablet computers, in-vehicle mobile terminals, and wearable devices and requirements of users on obtaining information anytime anywhere, the users need to access the Internet anytime anywhere for data communication.
Cellular data communication such as 4G communication has a faster data transmission speed than usual (e.g., about 10 times faster than 3G networks). However, for requirements of saving costs (e.g., cellular device charges) and using a faster transmission speed, the users tend to perform data communication by accessing mobile terminals to wireless local area networks (WLAN). Typically, the wireless local area networks use a wireless fidelity (WiFi) protocol network.
Currently, the wireless local area networks are widely deployed in various public places such as metros and shops. This brings convenience to the requirements on data communication of the users anytime anywhere. However, the wireless local area networks deployed in public places are usually not open, that is, have authentication mechanisms (e.g., requires a password to access). A user needs to pre-obtain access keys of the wireless local area networks before he or she can access (i.e., connect to) the local area network. When the user moves to a different area (e.g., a different geographical area) that is covered other wireless local area networks, resetting (e.g., connecting to a different network) is required. Furthermore, a user who has previously accessed a wireless local area network may find that he is no longer able to connect to the same wireless local area network because the access key (i.e., password) has been updated over time.
Related technologies do not provide an effective solution for implementing automatic access of the mobile terminals to the wireless local area networks and seamless handover of access.